Method and device for bending sheets

ABSTRACT

A device for bending panes is described. The device has a pre-bending ring, a movable bending ring holder, a final bending ring, a preheating region for preheating at least one pane, a pre-bending region for a further bending of the at least one pane, a heating region for a final bending of an edge of the at least one pane and for a surface pre-bending of the at least one pane, a second bending region for a further surface bending of the at least one pane and a cooling region.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/990,399 filed on May 29, 2013, which is the US national stage ofInternational Patent Application PCT EP2011/072170 filed on Dec. 8, 2011which, in turn, claims priority to European Patent Application EP10194711.7 filed on Dec. 13, 2010, all of which are incorporated hereinby reference in their entirety.

The invention relates to a method and a device for bending panes, afurnace for bending panes, and the use of the furnace.

Besides aspects of the equipment, the development of new motor vehiclesis also determined to a large extent by design elements. In this, thesignificance of windshield design is increasing because of the large,highly visible area. In this regard, not only the appearance of thewindshield, but also aspects for energy conservation and environmentalimpact play a role. Powerful microprocessors as well as CAD(Computer-Aided Design) supported software packages also enable greateradaptation and optimization of the aerodynamic resistance of thewindshield. For this reason, modern windshields in motor vehicles haveincreasingly complex shapes. In particular, motor vehicles with very lowfuel consumption but also sports cars make high demands on pane geometryand thus also on the glass pane bending methods necessary for theirimplementation. The bending of a glass pane can be realized, forexample, through a combination of gravity bending and press bending. Oneor a plurality of glass panes are placed in a bending ring and heated.In this process, the glass pane is bent along the geometry predefined bythe bending ring with the help of gravity acting on the heated glasspane. Then, the heated glass is bent into the corresponding shape withthe help of negative pressure and a suitable frame.

More complex geometries cannot usually be realized with a single bendingprocess. This is rendered more difficult by the fact that separate orsubsequent bending processes cannot be combined arbitrarily. Thesefactors clearly limit the possibilities of obtaining the pane geometriessought. In particular, the combination of edge bending and surfacebending to produce complex geometries can be realized only withdifficulty.

EP 0 677 491 A2 discloses a method for bending and tempering glasspanes. The glass panes are heated to their softening temperature,pressed between two complementary shapes in a device, and thentransferred into a transport ring. The panes are then tempered andcooled in the transport ring.

EP 1 371 616 B1 discloses a device for bending and tempering glasspanes. The device comprises, among other things, successive moldcarriers, preheating sections for heating glass panes to bendingtemperature, a gravity-based pre-bending section, a bending section witha press mold, and a cooling section.

EP 1 358 131 B1 discloses a method for bending of glass panes in pairs.For this, the pair of glass panes is pre-bent in a horizontal positionon a bending mold in the form of a frame by gravitational bending. Then,the pair of glass panes is further bent with an entire surface bendingmold.

US 2008/0134722 A1 discloses a method and a device for bendingsuperposed panes. The panes are lifted by a suction mold and pressed byan opposing mold and bent according to the geometry.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for bendingpanes that enables even the bending of complex geometries quickly in theleast possible process steps and with minimal energy consumption.

The object of the invention is accomplished by a method and deviceaccording to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments emergefrom the dependent claims.

The method for bending panes according to the invention enables thecombination of edge bending as well as surface bending. The methodcomprises a first step, wherein at least one pane, preferably a firstpane and a second pane, are placed in a pre-bending ring on a movablebending ring holder. The method is suitable for both one pane and forthe bending of panes in pairs. The pre-bending ring preferably has amean final bend of the edge of 5% to 50%. The movable bending ringholder then moves into a furnace and the panes are heated in thepre-bending ring by a heating device at least to the softeningtemperature of the glass, preferably 550° C. to 800° C. The softeningtemperature is determined by the composition of the glass. The panesplaced in the pre-bending ring are pre-bent through the action ofgravity to 5% to 50% of the local final bend of the edge. In the contextof the invention, the term “final bend of the edge” is the mean (final)bend in the final, finished state of at least a part of the edge of thepane or bending ring edge with a dimension or length of at least 30% ofthe total bending ring edge or pane edge. The panes are lifted in thenext step by a (first) suction device and bent further beyond thebending obtained in the pre-bending ring. The panes are preferably bentto 102% to 130% of the final bend of the edge. The bending takes placeover a counter framework situated in the suction device. The counterframework preferably has the shape of a ring with a protruding, bentcontact surface. The suction device includes, in addition to the counterframework, a cover with an air baffle surrounding the counter framework.The air baffle is situated adjacent the lifted pane and is designed suchthat, during the bending on the contact surface of the counterframework, the pane is at a distance of 3 mm to 50 mm from the airbaffle. This distance enables continuous suction of air in theintermediate space between the pane and the air baffle. The air suckedin generates a negative pressure for fixing the pane on the contactsurface. The suction process bends the panes corresponding to the bend(curvature) of the contact surface. The contact region of the moldedpart, in particular the contact surface with the pane, is preferablylined with a flexible or soft material. This material preferablyincludes fire resistant fibers of glass, metal, or ceramic, and preventsdamage such as scratches on the panes. A description of the mode ofoperation and structure of the suction device for lifting the pane isfound in US 2008/0134722 A1, [0036] and [0038] through [0040] as well asclaim 1 a). The panes are then placed by the suction device in a finalbending ring on the movable bending ring holder. The final bending ringpreferably has at least a 30% larger mean final bend of the edge thanthe pre-bending ring. The placement of the panes can take place, forexample, by raising the suction pressure by means of a pressure drop inthe suction device. The pre-bending ring and the final bending ring are,in each case, bent corresponding to the intended pane geometry. Thecircumference and the opening angle of the bending ring are adapted tothe geometry of the pane to be bent. The pre-bending ring and the finalbending ring are preferably disposed on the same movable bending ringholder and can, for example, be converted by removal of a pin or abracket from the pre-bending ring into the final bending ring. In thecontext of the invention, the term “convert” means both the changing ofthe shape (geometry) of the bending ring from the pre-bending ring tothe final bending ring and a taking off of the pre-bending ring as wellas “making accessible” a final bending ring disposed beneath thepre-bending ring. The pane placed on the final bending ring is pre-bentby thermal irradiation in the surface. For this, a temperature gradientis set above the pane and different surface bending is enabled by thedifferent heating. The heating device preferably includes an arrangementof individual separately controllable heating tiles. As a result of thedifferent thermal radiation of the tiles, different temperature regionscan be realized on the panes. Then, the panes are lifted by a secondsuction device. The second suction device preferably has the samestructure as the first suction device. In the next step, the panes arepressed against a counter mold and preferably bent in the surface of thepane. The structure of this counter mold is described in US2008/0134722A1 in [0037] and FIG. 2. The counter mode functions as a negative of thesurface bend of the pane and bends the pane into the final surfacegeometry. Then, the panes are placed on the final bending ring andcooled.

The panes preferably include glass, particularly preferably flat glass(float glass), quartz glass, borosilicate glass, and/or soda lime glass.

The panes are preferably lifted by the suction device and bent to 100%to 130%, preferably to 105% to 120% of the mean overall final bend ofthe edge. The term “overall final bend of the edge” refers to a uniformbending of the entire pane expressed as a percentage. The panes arepreferably shaped on a bending ring (counter framework) in the suctiondevice such that they have a bend of the edge that exceeds, in shape orextent, the amount of the final bend of the edge.

The pane is preferably bent by the suction device with a locallydifferent final bend of the edge. The term “local final bend of theedge” refers to a nonuniform (final) bend (of the edge) of the entirepane expressed as a percentage.

The pane is preferably bent locally in the first and/or second suctiondevice by a stream of air or a lower bending ring. The term “locally”means individual regions of the pane, in which an additional bend is setin a limited region by a stream of air, preferably from a nozzle.Alternatively, the local bending described can occur by means of abending ring applied from below.

The panes are preferably heated by a temperature gradient on the glasssurface with a maximum of 0.05 K/mm to 0.5 K/mm, preferably 0.1 K/mm to0.2 K/mm. The adjustment of the temperature gradient takes placepreferably via heating devices differently controlled (i.e., differentamounts of radiated heat) and placed above or below the panes.

The panes are preferably heated to a temperature of 500° C. to 750° C.,particularly preferably 580° C. to 650° C.

The panes are preferably pre-bent by gravity in the pre-bending ring to10% to 30% of the mean final bend.

The suction device preferably builds a suction pressure of 1 kg/m² to100 kg/m². This suction pressure is sufficient to securely fix the paneson the suction device and to bend them over the counter framework.

The invention further includes a pane, in particular a pair of panes,bent with the method according to the invention.

The invention further includes a furnace for bending panes, preferablyfor bending panes in pairs. The furnace comprises at least one heatingdevice installed in the furnace and a bending ring holder movable insideand outside the furnace with a bending ring as a pre-bending ring and/orfinal bending ring. The bending ring is preferably adjustable orconvertible both as a pre-bending ring and a final bending ring. Thepre-bending ring and the final bending ring can, for example, beconverted by the removal of a pin or a bracket from the pre-bending ringinto the final bending ring. In the context of the invention, the term“convert” means both the changing of the shape (geometry) of the bendingring from the pre-bending ring to the final bending ring and a takingoff of the pre-bending ring as well as “making accessible” a finalbending ring disposed beneath the pre-bending ring. Inside a preheatingregion, the panes (first pane and/or the second pane) are heated to asoftening temperature. In a first bending region, a first, verticallydisplaceable, preferably convexly bent suction device is connected tothe preheating region in the pre-bending region. The suction deviceenables picking up the panes out of the pre-bending ring, bending thepane, and placing the pre-bent pane back on the final bending ring. Thesuction device comprises at least one counter framework with a bentcontact surface. The bend of the contact surface is preferably greaterthan the bend of the pre-bending ring; preferably the bend of thecontact surface is at least 30%, particularly preferably at least 90%.The counter framework is surrounded by a cover with an air baffle andthere is a minimum distance of 3 mm to 50 mm between the contact surfaceand the air baffle. The air baffle protrudes downward beyond the lowestpoint of the bent contact surface. A heating region for heating ortempering the panes situated on the movable bending ring connects to thesuction device. The pane placed on the final bending ring is pre-bent inthe surface by thermal irradiation. For this, a temperature gradient isset above the pane and different surface bending is enabled by thedifferent heating. The heating device preferably includes an arrangementof individual separately controllable heating tiles. As a result of thedifferent thermal radiation of the tiles, different temperature regionscan be realized on the panes. A second bending region is situatedadjacent the heating region in the direction of movement of the panes.The second bending region includes a second, vertically displaceablesuction device as well as a horizontally and vertically displaceable,preferably concavely bent counter mold. In conjunction with the secondsuction device, the counter mold enables surface bending of the pane.The structure of this counter mold is described in US2008/0134722 A1 in[0037] and FIG. 2. In the process direction, a cooling region connectsto the second bending region. The cooling region constitutes the finalportion of the furnace according to the invention. The preheatingregion, first bending region, heating region, second bending region, andthe cooling region are disposed connected in succession in the processdirection. The furnace according to the invention has heating devicesfor heating in the regions preheating region, first bending region,heating region, second bending region, cooling region. The heatingdevices can be disposed under, beside, or even above the movable bendingring holder.

The movable bending ring holder is preferably moved by a transportdevice situated inside and outside the furnace.

A third suction device is preferably disposed in the second bendingregion. This increases the cycle time of the furnace according to theinvention.

The heating device preferably includes radiant heaters, particularlypreferably infrared radiators.

The heating device preferably includes an arrangement of individualseparately controllable heating tiles. As a result of the differentthermal radiation of the tiles, different temperature regions can berealized on the panes. The different temperature regions enable agradual heating of the surface of the panes.

The invention further includes the use of the furnace according to theinvention for bending panes to be laminated, preferably motor vehiclewindshields.

The invention further includes the use of a pane according to theinvention as a windshield, preferably as a windshield of a motorvehicle.

In the following, the invention is explained in detail with reference todrawings and an exemplary embodiment as well as a comparative example.The drawings are purely schematic depictions and not to scale. They inno way limit the invention.

They depict:

FIG. 1 a cross-section of the furnace according to the invention,

FIG. 2 a cross-section of the suction device, and

FIG. 3 a flowchart of the method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 depicts a cross-section of the furnace according to theinvention. The furnace comprises heating devices (6) and bending ringholders (3) movable inside and outside the furnace by a transport device(10) having, in each case, a pre-bending ring (7 a). Inside a preheatingregion (A), the panes (1, 2) are heated to the softening temperature ofthe respective glass. In the pre-bending region (B), a first, verticallydisplaceable, preferably convexly bent suction device (5) connects tothe preheating region (A). The suction device (5) enables picking up thepanes (1, 2) out of the bending ring holder (3), pre-bending the panes(1, 2), and placing the pre-bent panes (1, 2) on a final bending ring (7b). The pre-bending ring (7 a) and the final bending ring (7 b) can beconverted, for example, by the removal of a pin or a bracket from thepre-bending ring (7 a) into the final bending ring (7 b). Anintermediate region (C) for heating the panes (1, 2) placed on the finalbending ring (7 b) connects to the suction device (5) in the pre-bendingregion (B). The final bending region (D) with a second verticallydisplaceable, convexly bent suction device (15) is situated adjacent theintermediate region (C). The second vertically displaceable, convexlybent suction device (15) is horizontally movable and enables lifting andbending of the panes (1, 2). The second vertically displaceable,convexly bent suction device (15) corresponds in its basic structure tothe suction device (5). The basic structure of the suction device (5,15) is also described in US2008/0134722 A1. The corresponding final bendcan be produced in the panes (1, 2) picked up by the convexly bentsuction device (15) by a horizontally and vertically displaceableconcavely bent counter mold (16). The panes (1, 2) are pressed betweenthe convexly bent suction device (15) and the concavely bent countermold (16). To increase the cycle speed, yet another third suction device(17) can be installed in addition to the convexly bent suction device(15). The third suction device (17) can pick up panes while panes arebeing bent in the second suction device. After conclusion of thepressing or bending process, the panes (1, 2) can be placed back on thefinal bending ring (7 b) by the convexly bent suction device (5). Acooling region (D) forms the final portion of the furnace according tothe invention. The preheating region (A), the pre-bending region (B),the intermediate region (C), the final bending region (D), and thecooling region (E) are disposed connected in succession.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-section of the suction device (5). The suctiondevice (5) includes a counter framework (8) and a cover (9) surroundingthe counter framework (8). The counter framework (8) can be bent over asa whole or locally relative to the final bending ring (7 b) (not shown).The counter framework acts as a “negative mold” relative to the finalbending ring (7 b) (not shown). A stream of air (13) is drawn into thesuction device (5) over the edge zone (14) between the counter framework(8) and the cover (9). With the help of the resultant negative pressure,the panes (1, 2) are suctioned, lifted, and bent. The contact surface(12) of the counter framework (8) with the second pane (2) is preferablylined with a flexible or soft material, such as fire resistant fibers ofglass, metal, or ceramic.

FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of the method according to the invention. Twopanes (1, 2) are placed in a pre-bending bending ring (7 a) on a movablebending ring (3). The bending ring (3) is then transported into afurnace. The panes (1, 2) are heated by a heating device (6) consistingof radiation heating elements to the softening temperature of the panes(1, 2), roughly 580° C. to 650° C. During the course of the heating ofthe panes (1, 2), the panes (1, 2) situated in the pre-bending ring (7a) are pre-bent with the help of gravity to 5% to 40% of the mean finalbend to be obtained. The heating device preferably comprises anarrangement of individual separately controllable heating tiles. As aresult of the different thermal radiation of the tiles, differenttemperature regions can be realized on the panes (1, 2). The differenttemperature regions enable a gradual heating of the surface of thepanes. The panes (1, 2) are then lifted by a preferably convex suctiondevice (5) and bent to 102% to 130% of the mean final bend. In a nextstep, the panes (1, 2) are placed by the convex suction device (5) onthe final bending ring (7 b) on the movable bending ring holder (3). Thepre-bending ring (7 a) and the final bending ring (7 b) are in each casebent corresponding to the intended pane geometry. The pre-bending ring(7 a) and the final bending ring (7 b) are preferably disposed on thesame movable bending ring holder (3) and can be converted, by theremoval of a pin from the pre-bending ring (7 a), into the final bendingring (7 b). The panes are heated in the intermediate region (C). Thepanes (1, 2) placed on the final bending ring (7 b) are pre-bent in thesurface by heat irradiation. For this, a temperature gradient is setabove the panes (1, 2) in the intermediate region (C) and differentsurface bending is enabled by the different heating. The heating device(6) preferably includes an arrangement of individual separatelycontrollable heating tiles. As a result of the different thermalradiation of the tiles, different temperature regions can be realized onthe panes (1, 2). Then, the panes are lifted in the final bending region(D) by a second suction device (15) and pressed against a preferablyconcave counter mold (16) and shaped. The counter mold has “inverse”geometry compared to the second suction device (15). Then, the panes (1,2) are placed on the final bending ring (7 b) and cooled.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

-   (1) first pane-   (2) second pane-   (3) movable bending ring holder-   (4) furnace-   (5) (first) suction device-   (6) heating device-   (7 a) pre-bending ring-   (7 b) final bending ring-   (8) counter framework-   (9) cover-   (10) transport device-   (11) air baffle-   (12) contact surface-   (13) stream of air-   (14) edge zone-   (15) second suction device-   (16) counter mold-   (17) third suction device-   (18) distance between the pane and the air baffle-   (A) preheating region-   (B) pre-bending region-   (D) second bending region-   (C) heating region-   (E) cooling region

The invention claimed is:
 1. A furnace for bending panes, comprising: apre-bending ring, a movable bending ring holder, a final bending ring, apreheating region for preheating at least one pane on the pre-bendingring on the movable bending ring holder configured to pre-bend the paneto 5% to 50% of a final bend of an edge of the a least one pane at asoftening temperature, a pre-bending region with a first verticallydisplaceable, bent suction device, comprising at least a counterframework with a bent contact surface as well as a cover surrounding thecounter framework with an air baffle for a further bending of thepre-bent pane, wherein the bent suction device is configured to bend thepre-bent pane from 102% to 130% of the final bend of the edge, a heatingregion for a final bending of the edge of the at least one pane on thefinal bending ring on the movable bending ring holder and for a surfacepre-bending of the at least one pane by thermal irradiation, a secondbending region with a second vertically displaceable suction device anda horizontally displaceable, bent counter mold configured for a furthersurface bending of the at least one pane, and a cooling region.
 2. Thefurnace according to claim 1, further comprising a third suction devicedisposed in the second bending region.
 3. The furnace according to claim1, further comprising a heating device for heating the preheatingregion, the pre-bending region, the heating region and the secondbending regions.
 4. The furnace according to claim 3, wherein theheating device comprises radiant heaters.
 5. The furnace according toclaim 4, wherein the radiant heaters are infrared radiators.
 6. Thefurnace according to claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises anarrangement of individual, separately controllable heating tiles orheating fields.
 7. The furnace according to claim 1, wherein the bentcontact surface is lined with a flexible or soft material.
 8. Thefurnace according to claim 7, wherein the bent contact surface is linedwith fire resistant fibers of glass, metals or ceramic.
 9. The furnaceaccording to claim 1, wherein the bent contact surface defines anenlarged and protruded portion of the counter framework.
 10. The furnaceaccording to claim 1, wherein the cooling region is laterally spacedapart from the preheating region.
 11. The furnace according to claim 10,wherein the cooling region and the preheating region are located at thesame vertical level.
 12. The furnace according to claim 1, wherein thebent contact surface and the air baffle are spaced by a distance of 3 mmto 50 mm.